Genie, I want you to take me back!
by LoriMoonstar
Summary: Disney tells you that Genies can't bring back the dead... and we already have a Peter so let's not invite anymore trouble, yeah? And you can't say that Stiles isn't the best at finding loopholes! ;) My take on the time travel fix-it, hopefully with a new spin.
1. Chapter 1

**1\. OK, so I've found a magical lamp... kinda**

 **(only in Beacon Hills! OMG I can't even...)**

...

"So..."

..

Silence. The being (wait maybe allucination? Did Scott lift some strange magical powder from Deaton again?! Why did this happen always to him?!) in front of him lifted an eyebrow. Stiles felt a smidgeon of irritation making his eyelid twitch. What was it with freakin' supernatural creatures and those damn eyebrow, eh? Would the... thing roll its eyes next taking a page from the Hales?

Why him? Why was it always him? Yes he was a smartass and his brain to mouth filter were unexistent, he was sometimes impulsive, had done his fair share of pranks in his life and his curiosity had put him in some tight places (case in point Laura's body, Creeper Peter, Scotty's wolfie mojo...need he say more?) but surely he couldn't have pissed Fate so much to deserve this, right? He was going to lodge a complaint with Karma: there were so many assholes on earth who deserved this shit so much more than him. He was a teenager! A bit of a troublemaker but he had never even killed anybody. So he set Peter on fire once, who cared! I mean... tecnically it was Derek who actually did the deed. And Creepewolf was like a cockroach and kept turning back up like nothing. And he had forgiven him too and now they enjoyed snarking at each other during pack meetings and competing over who could mock the others better (they were 4-3 for Peter currently, but he had a plan for next week, just you see!).

Then there had been that nightmare that was the Nogitsune, but... but... No damn it! He was paying his weight in gold for therapy. Karma had better have a talk with Ms Morell too and resolve this hiccup in their sistem and actually realize that it was all the Nogitsune's fault and he was just another of his victims. And really he wouldn't even think about some of the worse things like raping or mansloughter (I mean now Kate was dead, and good riddance to bad rubbish, but while he wanted to be an optimist he wasn't naive and he was pretty sure that somewhere there had to be somebody else of that ilk. Probably not even all Hunters, the dickbags!). His father was a Sherrif for heaven's sake, there were a lot of criminal and sick sadists around... why did he have such horrid luck? What even was this?!

Maybe for his sanity it would be better if he woke up. (It's all a dream Stiles, now you'll open your eyes and you'll laugh about this ridicolous dream with Scott at school.)

Ok, first thing first...

He reached a hand and poked the Invader-Of-Bed in front of him. Once, twice... it/he was solid. And yep, there went the rolling of eyes. Damn it!

"So" he started again "You're a genie. A real, wish granting genie, have I heard you correctly? What the hell man! You were in a can! What kind of self respecting magical superpowered mythical being lives in a shitty coke can? Are you kidding me right now? I totally brought you at the supermarket! What if I had been a little kid, you unthinking little shit? What would you have done then eh? You could have traumatized someone. And you're not even blue! I call bullshit! Where's the smoke, the arabian clothes and mistical aura? Not even a little sparkle? What say you in your defence?"

He liked to think that he was composed and stern, but maybe his voice had tented to a bit of hysteria right at the end? Nah, he may be surprised (every time! Every time he though nothing could ever surprise him again and then something like this happened! maybe he was cursing himself? Deaton had said he had a Spark. And let's be honest if somebody was clumsy enough to unconciously using their inner power to attract misfortune it would be him. Derek too, now that he though about it. He was going to pester Deaton untill he the vet gave him a good cleansing ritual for the both of them. The situation was reaching the realm of unbearable ridiculousness!) but he was totally in control of the situation. Totally. He had dealt with enough shit in the last two years. A genie was nothing against feral werewolves, murdering mutant-lizard, crazy geriatric hunters, Alpha Pack and ancient fox demons bent on chaos and destruction. And bad comes to worse he had a bat. Rowan wood around a rune enforced steel bar, all soaked in a mistletoe-wolfsbane mixture. Take that!

Stiles held up the coke can and fixed a glare on the genie in front him.

"Come on. To bed you go." he ordered.

The genie looked gobsmacked and then pouted petulantly. "But I just got out! Really Master don't you want to make a wish? I just offered riches and powers to your heart content! Do you know how boring life is when we are in between Masters?!"

Stiles scoffed. "Do I look that guillible to you? Don't answer that, it was rethorical! I'm not making a wish untill I know what the other shoe is and what catastrophe it'll cause dropping. Untill then you'll stay in the can and won't cause trouble. Shoo!"

With a last despondent look the genie poofed away. Stiles looked around mistrusfully. Under the bed, inside his wardrobe. Nothing. So he peeked with one eye inside the can he still held, but it seemed empty. And shaking it a bit caused nothing. Well, looked like he had a shit ton of research in his near future. Let's see, better start from the Argent's Bestiary, then google. Could he risk asking Peter for information? He would probably owe him a limb but... better that than risking the trouble the usual monster of the week caused. And surely Peter's smarmy teasing was certainly preferable to Deaton's infuriating riddles.

Let's get to work.

* * *

 **Hello! This is a little teaser on a new story I'm planning. Hope you like it.**

 **Also I'm italian so it's very, very possible that I missed some mistakes. I'll be very fratefull if you pointed them out. :)**

 **I'm also trying to find a way to give the impression of Stiles' tendency to babble and the way his thoughts are so very dynamic while still using a third person narrator because I really don't like first person P.O.V. Let me know your impressions and/or suggestions? *blushes***

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Lori**


	2. Chapter 2

**2\. Noo! Google failed me T_T**

 **(Peter stop teasing me!)**

Well! Things were bad.

Undoubtedly when the only source of information was Disney (ok that was a bit of stretch, I mean he had found a lot of arabian myths but nothing actually corroborated by the Argent's Bestiary or Peter's vast and most certainly illegally aquired library) you could start fearing that the shit would hit the fan pretty soon. Add to that the incredulous and smirking werewolf lounging on his bed while he was close to tear his hair out from sheer exasperation. Yeah, this Stiles wasn't a happy camper.

Nothing. For the first time his Google-Fu had betrayed him. Absolutely every book (and everyone, as he had practically begged Peter to try some of his witchy contacts) claimed that Genies or jinns or whatever were pure myth (Oh My God! That was so tipical, a creature that even the supernatural community thought absolutely unfounded and he actually crossed its path. Why?) Peter had actually laughed at him when, after a few hours of pestering him for the reson of his newfound obsession he had narrated his meeting with a genie. And the creeper had also raised a very sarcastic eyebrow at him when he was told that an absolutely normal looking guy had materialized on his bed after he had cleaned the top of a coke can and opened it. Stiles saw Peter's respect for his intelligence plummet even before the very slow suggestion that maybe somebody was pranking him, because everybody knew that genies existed only in children's tales. So he had endured five days of silent stalking and snickering, all the while keeping his silence with his other packmates. He didn't need any more laughing at him thank you very much!

Stiles sighed. "Seems like we'll have to go for the source." He threw a sharp look to Peter "Be ready to get your claws out if it seems like he's gonna kill me, yes? And let's hope that your lie detecting powers works on him."

He took the can and used his fingertips to clean the top.

...

"Wow! I'm so amazed, Stiles!" There went the famous Hale eyeroll.

"You should be, yes." was the dry answer from Peter's right side as the genie materialized from thin air causing the werewolf to let out a girly screech.

Vindicated. Stiles had a moment of pure vindicated glee at the way Peter jumped in fright before rounding on the new figure, claws unleashed and blue eyes glowing. Oh, oh now he was gaping! Oh my, maybe this genie wasn't the new Big Bad Stiles feared (and would it be worth it to use one of his wishes to request a copy of Peter's reaction? The blackmail possibilities! Mwahahaha!)

"Hello Master. Would you like to express a wish? It has been a few days. I hope they were fruitfull?"

Stiles squinted his eyes. Was that sarcasm? He decided to be the better man and let it go. "Hello. I'm afraid I was so surprised last time that I didn't ask your name. I'm sorry for that."

All the common stereotypes about genies had them wily and ready to take advantage of their so called masters and even if he disliked being prejudiced he still though that caution was the better part of valour, so for the moment it was best to not ask direct questions, lest they be interpreted as wishes. If this was legit (and a miniscule part of him was actually starting to think it could be a good thing. Let's plot how to use it to his advantage. The bigger part of his brain was cataloguing every expression and movement of the genie. And another little part was actually rubbing his hand in triumph and laughing maniacally at seeing that Peter was still out of it. Sigh! He saw so very rarely Peter loose his cool. It was such a joy! Peter 0- Stile 1) he didn't want to waste such a golden opportunity.

"I can forgive that. My name is Paul, and you Master?"

That actually was what got a reaction from Peter. "Really? You are a genie and your name is Paul? I'm not impressed." Oh that was sneer #3, the 'crawl back to the dirty hole you came from, vermin' sneer that Peter reserved for the most pathetic nasties they encountered, those that he felt were so beneath him that he only bothered with their stupidity because Scott had Alpha ordered him to.

Still, Peter did have a point. Paul? Really? A coke can, no smoke or sparkles, brown hair, brown eyes, not really tall or muscled, dressed in jeans and blue hoodie and named Paul. What even...

"I'll have you know that just because my race is millenia old doesn't mean that we haven't kept pace with societal progresses. We are totally able to disguise ourselves and remain hidden. You mutts should take a page from our book, you wouldn't have so many problem with hunters in that case."

Low blow. In fact that little taunt received an angry growl as an answer. Time for an intervention before blood was drew.

"So, a genie. That's amazing! Three wishes and all that schitck. Don't worry about rules, we already know. Rule number one: you don't kill so we won't ask. Rule number two: you can't make anybody fall in love with anybody else. Rule number three: you can't bring people back from the dead. It's not a pretty picture and we don't like it. We even have an example right here and we'd prefere not getting a repeat performance. We totally don't need two Peter."

Both Paul and Peter stared him down. Then Peter facepalmed. "Stiles! You did not just quote Alladdin!"

"I hate Disney. They totally misrepresented us! We're not such pushover. Granted real love is above our capacities. We can at most have somebody badly infatuated or obsessed, but we can kill. Depending on the genie we can take a more gruesome or refined approach to it, but well it doesn't take a genie to do that." he smirked. "And I am not a little charlatan, I can totally raise the dead. I personally wouldn't recommend it because souls are complicated. Recreating a body is simple, but finding the original soul it was attached to it's more problematic. Some souls have already passed on to a heaven or the cycle of rebirth. And if they were still lingering they tend to become a bit unbalanced and resentfull. So it's not the happy ending most people want. But it's totally doable if you were to insist. The only foolproof way to come back is the ritual your wolf used. And it's still almost impossible to find the right conditions to make it possible. Actually, kudos to you for pulling it off!"

Score! Free informations. Now how to get some more?

"So if you genies are all that, what do you get from realizing wishes? I doubt you do it becauseof the goodness of your hearts." Peter drawled. (Why did have to be so infuriating? He could be really charming when he wanted to, did he think that angering the possibly very powerfull genie was a smart idea?! Why was he surrounded by idiots?)

Paul sighed. "Don't think I don't know what you are fishing for, wolf. I am perfectly aware of what you mortals think about my people. While some of our ancestors liked to pretend that we were divinities happily going around rewarding worthy souls, the truth is that we feed from the emotions we cause with our powers and presence. Your reactions from when I appeared will sustain me a few days. Of course after a few centuries of granting almost always the same wishes you can realize the utter boredom. So we try to keep things interesting: let's try to outsmart our masters and find a way to grant their request using the simplest ways and less power possible. It's kind of funny, you have to admit it. Some of your fears are actually due to the fact that like some men there are cruel genies around. But I am relatively young, only 230 years old actually. So I am still pretty positive about you people. Now, Master, would like to make a wish?"

Well now. He could maybe work with this. What did he really wish for?

* * *

 **A.N: Here we have chapter 2!**

 **I'll try and post every week, BUT work will pick up as we get closer to Christmas so I honestly can't promise to be constant. It's very possible that the next chapters will take longer. I'm sorry but hope you'll have patience and bear with me.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Lori**


	3. Chapter 3

**3\. Damn, exactly what can I ask?**

 **(how the hell does he work?)**

Left...

Right...

Left...

Right...

Left...

Turn around...

Repeat...

Left...

Growl. "Stiles if you don't stop pacing I'm going to extract your intestines from your nostrils and make you eat them, I swear!"

"Shush Creeperwolf, I'm thinking! I only have three wishes and I need to plan. So much I could do, but there are too many things to fix! Do you know how many plans I've already scrapped? Do you? 23! And that's only in the last ten minutes. Fuck, I can't do it! What if I don't ask the right thing?! What then!"

Slap!

Stiles blinked. And fixed his molten gold eyes, full of indignant betrayal, on Peter. "You hit me!" he screeched flailing (rewind that_ he accused, trembling from the rage. Right that sounded manlier, no? He didn't _screech,_ that was Lydia's job, thank you very much!).

Peter rolled his eyes, damn what a shocker! Note the sarcasm, please and thank you.

"Peter I don't think you undestand how important this is. This is monumental, this could be..."

"I don't understand?" hissed the wolf "I don't understand?! Stiles we don't even know what exactly he is able able to do! I'm not letting myself hope for... I don't even know." Peter took a calming breath. "I know, Stiles okay? I know. You want to fix everything that went wrong in the last years, but it's not so simple as making a simple wish. First, do we really trust _him_ to do what's best for all of us? Second, if we do will he be capable? Third, wich shitstorm is to be corrected first. Fourth, do we really deserve this chance, Stiles? It seems too good. Let's face it, we cannot be sure it's not a trap."

Stiles bit his bottom lip. "That's kind of what I was thinking." he admitted, not sure if feeling relieved or resenting the other man for airing his doubts. "I can't not take the chance, Peter. I know it could be a trap and I could make it all worse, but... I think it's worth it. I won't be able to live with myself if I don't take a chance. I'll plan and I'll do my damnest to make it work. But... but what if..."

Warm hands covered his shoulders. "Let's get some other answers from Paul first. Then we'll plan. Don't get your hopes up yet, Stiles."

A little sigh was heard from the opposite corner of his bedroom. "Yes, let's forget my presence all the time. I'm just the genie that can make all your wishes true."

"Shut up!" snarled Peter "Maybe you think it's funny to do this, but it's not! Do you know what you're dangling in front of him, you bastard! How much our pack has suffered and lost?! Stiles is not the simple fool that wishes for money, girls and fame! He's trying to think how to save people's lives and how to make the right wishes to best help the pack. It would actually help if you gave us an estimate of your real capabilities, if you actually want him to say a wish. And an explanation of how you work would be apreciated too."

Paul blinked, then sighed. "My apologies. I'm not sure what you need to know. I told you already! I can do practically anything, I'm a genie: a being that can control every force in existance. I can do everything. But like every creature I need sustenance and I get it by the reaction of those I influence. How is that not clear?"

"You want a list?" snarked Peter "Where do you take your power? And most importantly what exactly do you feed of? Is it Stiles' emotions? His life force? What?! Will the bigger the wish leave him a lifeless husk? Will you feeding on his wishes harm him in any way? Try answering that first!"

Paul seemed flabbergasted. "What? No! How do you get such ideas? What kind of monster do you think I am?"

"We haven't had the easiest time here in Beacon Hill. We have all the rights to be a little paranoid. For all we know you could be worse than the Nogitsune." said Stiles.

The genie gaped. "A Nogitsune? A real Nogitsune, here? Shit!"

Paul looked at them long and hard before nodding and starting to explain again. "I do not feed on you in the sense that I deprive you of something. In that you can compare me to a plant who lives thanks to light but doesn't exactly consume it. I feed on the methaphysical impact granting your wishes will have on you and anybody the wish reaches. A bit like the common saying of the butterfly's wings and ripples. In this case I'm the butterfly, granting the wish is the butterfly fluttering its wings and the ripples are my food. More ripples, more food."

"Isn't that a vicious circle? I mean a simple wish will only give you a little food, right? And why do you grant only three wishes, is that, like a rule? What do you do if they ask you only crappy wishes?" asked Stiles. He had so many questions. Sooo many.

"Not really. Sometimes it's the really simple wishes that have the most impact. For example almost a century ago I met a so called 'barren' woman who wished for a child of her own. Granting that wish took me almost nothing because she didn't have a real physical problem, just very bad luck and timing. I didn't have to heal her or anything, just take one of eggs and one of her husband's swimmers and voila. But with that wish I changed her whole life, her family's and that of a lot of people who just by crossing her son's road did something that they wouldn't have done before I made that little, by many so called _insignificant_ , life. That wish fed me for a very long time, you know?

And the reason for the three wishes is because that is a very magically powerful number. It gives us, let's call it a push. Normally we stop feeding from a Master when every wish granted has stopped impacting the world. That's when we search for another Master."

Peter squinted suspiciously at him. "How do you choose a master?"

Paul shrugged. "It depends. Sometimes we just decide on a place and wait for somebody to pick us up. but most of the time we search for somebody with the right spark."

"Spark? As in magic?"

"It depends on your definition of magic. Spark as in willpower, as in belief, as strong convictions, it's not always connected with actual practitioners. But then for many life is the greatest magic, no?"

Stiles took a deep breath. "So let's say I'm convinced. I'm kinda thinking about changing the past. Any ideas or limitations?"

* * *

 **A.N: OMG! It took me so looong to write this, I'm so sorry! I really wanted to explain my ideas of genies well, but I'm still not sure if I managed to translate my thoughts clearly enought. I'm not completely satisfyed, but... Any thought would be appreciated.**

 **Cheers!**

 **Lori**


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